10 minute spinal release home practice

Happy Holidays!  Please don't let the lack of classes stop your yoga practice.  Here's a short sequence for you to practice at home when you have a few spare moments.

1. Start in easy rest position (On back, soles of feet on floor, knees bent)

• Place your hands on the belly and just breathe, let the belly rise as you inhale, fall as you exhale.
  
• Let the breath become smooth without effort.  6 breaths here
  

2.  Do a few rounds of arch and flatten of the lower back

• As you inhale roll the tailbone toward the floor and allow the lower back to increase it's arch, contracting the spinal muscles.  (Your bum stays on the floor!)
  
• As you exhale, release the muscles of the spine and allow the spine to flatten back to neutral on the ground.
  
• Repeat 6 or so times.
  

3. Add bridge pose to this movement

• Bring the feet a little bit closer to the buttocks, in line with the hips.  Tuck the chin in so the back of the neck is long.  As you inhale, allow the pelvis to tilt and the spine to arch.
  
• As you exhale, allow the spine to come to neutral, push into the feet and raise the buttocks and the spine one vertebrae at a time to come into bridge pose
  
• Stay up for an inhale breath, breathing into the chest.
  
• As you exhale allow the spine to roll back down to the floor.
  
• Repeat 6 or so times.
  
• Hold the last round for a few extra breaths if this feels like a good thing to do, make sure the inner thighs are engaged so the knees don't fall out to the sides.
  
• When you have finished, bring the knees up to the chest and rock from side to side.
  

4. Come into a spinal twist

• From easy rest position, bring the knees and legs and ankles together, take the arms out at shoulder height
  
• Inhale in the centre, as you exhale, take the legs to one side, head to the other.  Pause at the end of the exhale to notice you have arrived wherever is comfortable for you (legs don't have to come to the floor).  Inhale the knees back to centre, pause, exhale to other side.
  
• repeat again 6 times or so.
  

5.  Shavasana (pose of relaxation)

• lengthen your legs away, or put a bolster under your knees and take at least 6 breaths chin tucked in, palms face up to finish the sequence.